The present invention relates generally to an image recording apparatus. More particularly, the invention relates to an image recording apparatus having a plurality of sheet storage cartridges and/or cassettes in which different kinds of photosensitive recording sheets are stored or stacked.
Heretofore, there has been known an image recording apparatus in which used are a photosensitive recording sheet and a developer sheet to copy a full-color image of the original document The photosensitive recording sheet carrying on its surface an immense number of pressure rupturable microcapsules each encapsulating a chromogenic material is exposed to an imaging light, whereby the mechanical strength of the microcapsules change depending upon the light exposure and a latent image is formed thereon. The developer sheet is superposed on the photosensitive recording sheet for pressure development in which a pressure is applied to the superposed sheets to selectively rupture the weaker strength microcapsules. The chromogenic material released from the ruptured microcapsules reacts with the developer material coated on the developer sheet to thus provide a visible image on the developer sheet. According to such an apparatus, a high quality full-color copies can be obtained at inexpensive cost.
Recently, a high speed printing has been desired. However, the above-described apparatus is not satisfactory in this respect, particularly when a monochromatic image is to be copied. While it is difficult to increase the full-color copying speed due to the necessity for maintaining the sensitivity balance between yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C) microcapsules, there is a space to increase the monochromatic image copying speed because the monochromatic recording medium is highly sensitive to light. In actuality, however, in the above-described apparatus, the copying speed remains substantially the same in both cases where full-color and monochromatic copyings are performed.
There is another conventional image recording apparatus in which an image of a positive film or a negative film can be reproduced on a recording sheet. In this apparatus, a photosensitive recording sheet is placed on an exposure zone and an image of the film is projected thereonto. Two different photosensitive recording sheets need to be used which are adapted to record the images of the positive and negative films. For this reason, two types of image recording apparatuses exist, one for recording only an image of a positive film, and another for recording an image of a negative film. If these two types of apparatuses are placed in the same office, it is not desirable in terms of space and cost.
To dissolve such an inconvenience, an improved image recording apparatus (not prior art) has been proposed by the present inventors, wherein the same light source is used for recording images on two different recording sheets. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, there are provided a first exposure zone A where a first recording sheet adapted to record the image of the positive film is exposed to an imaging light passed through the positive film and a second exposure zone B where a second recording sheet adapted to record the image of the negative film is exposed to an imaging light passed through the negative film.
Specifically, in the arrangement shown in FIG. 6, a mirror plate 136 is placed in front of a slide projector 115 for selectively directing the imaging light onto the first and second exposure zones A, B. When a positive film is inserted into the slide projector 115, the mirror plate 136 is placed in the illustrated position and directs the imaging light passed through the positive film toward the first recording sheet. On the other hand, when a negative film is inserted thereinto, the mirror plate 136 is angularly rotated and retracted from the optical path, thereby allowing the imaging light passed through the negative film to be projected onto the second recording sheet.
However, according to such an arrangement, the provision of two exposure zones within the same recording apparatus requires two separate processing units for processing the exposed recording sheets. Such an arrangement requires a large internal space and the cost therefor increases.